Celene Valmont I
} |name = Celene Valmont I |image = Celene_Profile.jpg |px = 250px |gender = Female |race = Human |title = Empress of Orlais |family = Emperor Judicael I (grandfather) Catrin of Hossberg (grandmother) Prince Reynaud (father) Clarisse de Montfort (mother) Emperor Judicael II (uncle) Emperor Florian (uncle) Princess Melisande (aunt) Gaspard de Chalons (cousin) Florianne de Chalons (cousin) Prince Etienne III (cousin) Prince Leopold (cousin) Princess Evangeline (cousin) Prosper de Montfort (cousin once removed) |voice = Katherine Pageon |appearances = Dragon Age: Origins (mentioned) Dragon Age II (mentioned) Dragon Age: Asunder (mentioned) Dragon Age: The Masked Empire Dragon Age: The Last Court (mentioned) Dragon Age: Inquisition Heroes of Dragon Age }} Celene I is the Empress of Orlais, having succeeded her uncle Florian in 9:20 Dragon when she was just sixteen. Celene is part of House Valmont. Many call her "the Lioness". Background Celene Valmont was born in 9:04 Dragon.Patrick Weekes Twitter. When she was sixteen,Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, Chapter 3. Grand Duke Gaspard's wife Calienne killed her mother, Clarisse de Montfort, by arranging for "a hunting accident." Her father, Prince Reynaud, killed Calienne in retaliation, and then died himself of "illness" caused by Calienne's poisoned stiletto. Celene took the throne after that. Her ascension is swathed in rumours, with some Orlesians claiming the assassination of her uncle, Emperor Florian, was organized to allow her to take power.Codex entry: Portrait of the Dowager Celene's ascendancy marked a period of intense struggle in the empire, as nobles positioned themselves to overthrow her. Most said Celene was too young and inexperienced to hold power, but she proved to be an adept player of the Game. She hinted at the possibility of marriage to several powerful families, while ultimately marrying no one; yet she continued to maintain alliances with these families. Today, there are still many nobles who consider Celene's rule illegitimate. As she grows older and the likelihood of an heir by birth decreases, the movement to replace her grows. Celene has inspired something of a cultural renaissance in the Orlesian Empire. She has been a fervent patron of education and the arts. In particular, the University of Orlais and the Grande Royeaux theater owe much of their current reputation to her rule. Before Celene's intervention, the University of Orlais was severely stifled by the Chantry's limitations and served mostly as a dumping ground for the younger children of the lesser nobility. After Celene was crowned empress, she announced her intention to study at the university herself. She also arranged to lessen the Chantry's restriction on theological studies. The University of Orlais is now one of the most prestigious institutions in Thedas, respected for its studies on nature, magic, history, and the arts and attracting nobles from several nations. Noble blood is currently required for entry, though Celene has been urging the University to accept even elves if properly sponsored by a noble. Celene similarly lifted all restrictions on the Grande Royeaux, announcing that artistic freedoms should not be constrained by worldly concerns. She is willing to put historical disputes behind her, and enter into an alliance with Ferelden, though it should be said this alliance would ultimately benefit her. She was a close contact of King Cailan Theirin, and the two of them were united in their stance against the Fifth Blight, with Celene even sending four legions of Chevaliers to aid Ferelden against the Darkspawn. Celene is in a secret relationship with an elf named Briala, who is also her handmaiden and spymaster.Tor books Involvement Dragon Age: Origins Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening Before they depart Orlais, Empress Celene personally presents the newly appointed Warden-Commander of Ferelden with a new uniform to celebrate their commission. Robes of the Orlesian Magister, Orlesian Warden's Light Armor, Orlesian Warden's Plate Armor. }} Dragon Age II Dragon Age: Asunder Dragon Age: The Masked Empire Dragon Age: The Last Court Dragon Age: Inquisition Trivia * David Gaider revealed that the original plot for Dragon Age: Origins included a visit by Celene to Denerim. There it would have been learned that Cailan had planned to divorce Anora in favour of the Empress, and that Teyrn Loghain had discovered this scheme.David Gaider interview. PAX - September 2010. * Celene has a passionate love of tea, particularly Rivaini spice tea, and in fact keeps an enchanted tea pot in her luggage for this purpose.Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, pgs. 17 and 104. The tea appears to be a curative for her chronic headaches.Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, p. 46. Curiously, when speaking with her ladies-in-waiting during Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, one of them will mention that Celene takes her tea black. This would seem to contradict Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, in which much is made of her love of tea and her particular way of taking it not black but sweetened with honey.Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, p. 17. * Celene wears several enchanted items on her person, including a ruby ring that enchants any weapon with flames and a puzzle ring purported to have belonged to The Black Fox.Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, pg. 168. * During her conversation with Leliana it is made apparent that Celene has been trained as a bard.Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, pg. 22 and 23. *Empress Celene is related to Duke Prosper as he is her mother's cousin, making him her first cousin once removed. * Cover art of Celene can be found in Skyhold on an unhung portrait near Vivienne's living area in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Gallery CeleneI.png|Cover art of Celene from The Masked Empire Empress Celene Valmont tarot.png|Empress Celene tarot card Promotional_Celene.jpg|Promotional image of Empress Celene in Heroes of Dragon Age Celene HoDA tier.jpg|Artwork of Empress Celene's tier progression in Heroes of Dragon Age HoDA_Celene.jpg|Empress Celene in Heroes of Dragon Age (Tier IV) Celene Empress Statue.png|Statue of Empress Celene Empress_Celene_Character_cosplay_guide_cover.jpg|Empress Celene cosplay guide Empress_Celene_Character_cosplay_guide_1.jpg|Empress Celene cosplay guide Empress_Celene_Character_cosplay_guide_2.jpg|Empress Celene cosplay guide Empress_Celene_Character_cosplay_guide_3.jpg|Empress Celene cosplay guide Empress_Celene_Character_cosplay_guide_4.jpg|Empress Celene cosplay guide Empress_Celene_Character_cosplay_guide_5.jpg|Empress Celene cosplay guide Codex entries References ru:Императрица_Селина_I Category:Characters Category:Dragon Age: The Masked Empire characters Category:Dragon Age: Inquisition characters Category:Heroes of Dragon Age characters Category:Humans Category:Orlesians Category:Orlesian nobility Category:Royalty